TTC communications channels

This information informs discussions about communicating with members and vice versa.
Communications channels are the means by which the TTC maintains contacts with its members. The use of the web and email have the potential to significantly improve the communication with and between members.

Promotion of club and activities, eg join the club; new members night; instruction evenings;

Distributed via retailers, libraries, community groups, other clubs

Variable consistency and quality

Needs support from committee and members. None currently in retailers or libraries.

Communication discussion points

Membership Services vs Open Community

Should there be additional services available to members from the website?

Some clubs provide additional services or information to club members via members only sections on their website.

Others view their websites as a portal that attract new members, acts as a community, retains current members, and keeps friends, potential members, and previous members in touch.
Membership of the TTC has its benefits, including:

participation in club affairs, eg Annual General Meeting

Subscriptions to the Tararua Tramper, Tararua Annual, and NZFMC bulletin (although this can be obtained independently by joining FMC)

On the club Yahoo!Groups email lists we allow both members and non members to join and participate.

Membership only services:

Pros: encourages (forces) people to join to avail themselves of services

Cons: significant additional overhead to provide and maintain access and security, and to maintain accurate and up to date membership lists, can be abused by sharing of user ids and passwords. Has an element of coerciveness to joining.

Open community:

Pros: try before you buy, allows interested members to stay in contact (eg former club members now resident elsewhere, young families. Non members are encouraged to join through personal contact and attendance on trips, or on perceived benefits, or through wishing to contribute to the club.

Cons: perceived to allow free loading

Use of Email

Email is now a mature and ubiquitous technology. Most people have it at work or at home. It should not be used to replace paper based communications, although if offered as an option some members may choose to, say, receive the Tramper by email (eg as a link to the PDF on the website) or download it from the website, especially if it arrives earlier than the printed version.

In general people prefer to be able to select the level and topics of email (and other communications) they receive. There are a number of providers of quality free (advertising supported) email discussion lists, that not only provide a good service to subscribers, but provide additional web based features to list administrators and moderators.

The club has had an excellent run with its existing Yahoo!Groups. Email provides a timely facility to notify club members of club activities, eg the weekly meeting speaker, or changes in trips, and can be targeted (by clubmember opt in) to their area of interest. It is an effective way of promoting participation in the club. Recommendations:

Continue with open services community based club vision

Commit to use of email as a means of communicating with club members by general and social committees

Use free Yahoo!Groups as service provider, retaining the following:

the news list

the special interest groups

Tramper

use by committee to provide access and an archive of committee business, and well as potential use of file sharing and calendar features (as was done previously)

Continue to support the webmaster and tramper editor in developing the website

Consider the website as the first point of contact for many club members and prospective members